A motto is a core value tersely and frequently expressed. It represents a fundamental belief that helps shape behavior as we try to live up to the message it expresses.

This is Part I in a 3-part series. Click here for Part II and here for Part III.

One of the most well-known corporate mottos is Nike’s “Just do it.” The power behind the motto is the way it reflects the nature of the product they sell.

It is a symbol of action, of movement, of doing. It captures the essence of the company and reflects the core value it promotes. It has even taken on a life of its own, having been adopted by millions as a sort of personal anthem.

That’s the power of a motto, fully ingested, passionately endorsed, harmoniously aligned and fully integrated.

Millions upon millions of corporations, nations, cities and states, government agencies, non-profit organizations, clubs and events have created and adopted mottos as expressions of what they want to be and how they want to be seen, what they strive for and as a reflection of their core beliefs and values and as a way to infuse into the organization those values they want absorbed into the organizational climate.

Each organization chooses the core values it wants to organize around, so the mottos vary widely. In other words, one motto does not fit all.

Other well-known mottos include “This too shall pass” “The customer is always right” and “The Happiest Place on Earth.”

Having an organizational motto allows corporations and other organizations to instruct incoming recruits on what the corporate culture is all about, what drives them, what their organizational passion is.

If done correctly and infused throughout all levels of the organization, it informs all decisions and drives future planning as well.

It is, in other words, the heart and soul of the organization.

My motto here at Meant to be Happy is “Discovering joy … one day at a time.” I have 4 more phrases in my header that add meaning and direction to how that discovery can be pursued: “Live with Purpose, Act with Character, Think with Clarity, Grow with Courage.”

This is the essence of what I do. It motivates me and keeps me up late at night writing and editing and thinking about ways to get what I have to say out into a larger world.

It also tells a reader or someone clicking through for the first time what I’m all about. It conveys the spirit of Meant to be Happy at a glance.

Tony Hsieh of Zappos.com (“We’re a service company that happens to sell shoes”) helped create a billion dollar company (acquired by Amazon.com in 2009) by focusing on creating a culture around its motto and its core values. He preaches the doctrine that by focusing on culture, everything else falls into place.

If true of a company, why not a family or personally for yourself?

Do you have a personal or family motto?

Imagine if we all had our own motto that instructed and informed our own internal identity or family climate!

What would yours be? Do you already have one? More than one?

Just as corporate mottos can be infused into the culture of a business, so a family or personal motto can work its way into the very DNA of our personal lives and family culture as well.

When the message is repeated over time (and lived up to), it can distill into the hearts minds of even the newest group and family members like tiny inoculations against the cynicism, habits, inertia, corruption and negativity of other less helpful cultures from previous companies, family conditions or communities.

However, a motto is not usually sufficient in itself. It’s a tool to reinforce concepts and principles already being explicitly taught. Without that explicit instruction, our use of mottos becomes little more than the idiosyncratic expressions of a quirky parent. Minimally, they are less effective than they would otherwise be.

But if they are used as little reminders of larger lessons taught, they can be powerful tools indeed.

My Life Motto

“Life is what we make of it.”

This is not my only life motto. But it is, perhaps, the one that most deeply conveys my thoughts and heart and my philosophy of life.

In other words, you can be the horse driven by others who hold the reins to your life, or you can be the wagon master steering your own life in the direction you want it to go.

The option is yours; the reality of the choice is not. We either steer or are steered.

I’ve never done well with others telling me what I have to do and when to do it. I’m a deeply religious man, so God and religion is not what I’m talking about. But rules and regulations for the sake of rules and regulations, especially when they’re obviously divorced from common sense, simply drive me crazy.

So when I came to realize that unless forfeited to others, I was in control of my emotions, my reactions, my attitude, the pursuit of my dreams and happiness, I enthusiastically picked up the reins and began steering.

My life is organized around this principle. I am self-directed. I choose how I will respond to other people’s behavior and attitudes. I accept the idea that no one “makes” me happy or unhappy, that happiness is a byproduct of how I think, believe and live.

My life motto, therefore, is a reflection of me. But it also inspires me to grow and strive to be increasingly true to that motto at the same time. I fall short of its principle, but I work toward its ideal.

Motto-fied Power

There is great power in the words of my life motto for me. It informs the way I look at the world, myself in the mirror, the role I play in my own life and in others’.

So many people, it seems to me, act as though they were in the audience watching their lives unfold on stage, as if others were responsible for the unfolding.

As a result, they become pawns on others’ game boards. They bounce when dribbled and roll when rolled. But that kind of passive or reactive living can’t produce the happiness a self-directed, self-responsible, motto-driven life can produce.

The impact a motto can have on your life and the lives of those who are influenced by you, underscores the need to give thought to the mottos you make your own.

The little country of Luxembourg has a national motto that’s instructive: “We want to remain what we are.”

Such a motto doesn’t inspire much.

Make your motto inspiring.

Afterthoughts

Mottos are helpful to the degree we truly make them the mottos of our lives. Repeating a phrase over and over again creates emotional and moral dissonance if we never live by the phrases we use.

If our lives remain indefinitely out of whack with our words, we become caricatures, hypocrites who are no longer taken seriously. Our lives then become the excuse others use to discount what we say.

Instead, let the words sink down inside, becoming part of the essence of who you are. Let your motto become expressions of your character. And let your character be informed by the words you use to express it.

In other words, mottos can be powerful tools in your life to help you navigate your way through the clutter and noise out there in pop culture and elsewhere. They can also be powerful ways to communicate profound principles of human behavior to loved ones and others.

And finally, they can be useful reminders to ourselves, even as we use them to instruct others, that life is indeed what we make of it, that we can fashion a life of our choosing based on the core values that inspire us.

And while it may take some work to adjust our lives to the mottos we adopt as our own, the effort will be well worth it. My recommendation? “Just do it!”

37 Comments

Ken,
This is interesting. I never thought about a personal motto before but, I do have a favorite quote that I love that embodies what I believe in.
It’s this:
“Be like the sun and you shall warm the earth.” –Author unknown

I heard it when I was a teenager and ever since I took it as, I guess, my own personal motto.

To me it says that you must spread love, light and goodness to everyone you meet just as the sun spreads its warmth and light without judging who “deserves it” or not.

Hi Angela! Your favorite quote/motto fits you! You seem to me to personify it so well. But even more than the quote, I LOVE what it means to you: “that you must spread love, light and goodness to everyone you meet ….” What a wonderful way to live life, to be the source of love and decency in others’ lives!

Thanks for your kind words too. I love that I was able to make you think.

Nice, Evan! So many people are closed to others’ opinions, to trying new things, to other beliefs and personalities and values. But we can learn so much from others if we’re open. Staying with something can be very difficult if we don’t see some kind of reward for very long. We start to lose confidence and doubt fills our thoughts. But staying with something, keeping at it, persevering, is such an important trait for us to develop. It saves businesses and marriages and the lives of children and even countries from time to time. Thanks for sharing Evan!

Oh what fun! I loved the list of mottos. Luxembourg, well what can you say? Like you, I can think of several, but the one that seems foremost is “Make haste to be kind.” I will be back to see more comments and see what others choose!Galen Pearl recently posted … The Unkindest Cut

Thanks for sharing those mottos! My favorite motto is “Just Do It” …My personal motto is a Baha’i saying: “…let deeds not words be your adorning”. Living this motto causes me to pray that each action is made to the best of my ability given the information received and wisdom that I posses at that moment of time.Ajen recently posted … Jan-Mar 2012 Issue!!!

I wish more people measured their actions against the wisdom they had at the moment. So many people seem to disengage the brain altogether at times when they say and do things that are self-defeating at best, hugely destructive to themselves or others at worst.

Hi Ken! I loved reading the mottos (mottoes?) here. I have several mottoes. (mottos?) More like a pledge. Kindness rules. Love makes the world go round. Never underestimate the power of your mind to change your destiny. And of course I have a huge poster that says “Just do it” what a powerful life-changing phrase! And my oft-repeated one “Happiness is a DIY project” Go on. Smile. It increases your face value. Ya know, my Mom was a school teacher for over four decades and I would hear affirming quotes all the time from her.

I can’t help but refer to that beautiful speech by Polonius to his son, Laertes in “Hamlet” One of the most amazing pieces I’ve read in my life. Have a printed version on my wall at home, too.

Haha! Yeah, I looked up the plural of “motto” because I wasn’t sure of its spelling either, Vidya. The dictionary gave me both spellings and since “Mottos” (as opposed to “mottoes”) came first, I went with it!

Kindness does rule and love does make the world go around. Our minds are absolutely amazing, aren’t they?

And of course, you would HAVE to include “Happiness is s DIY project!” How could it be complete without it? 🙂

Lilian, yes, Exactly 🙂 I love the advice. This part of the advice, especially:

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;
Take each man’s censure, but reserve thy judgment.
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,
And they in France of the best rank and station
Are of a most select and generous chief in that.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend,
And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!

Hi Ken. I love this post so much. I’ve never thought much about having a personal motto, but I always work with my clients on defining their life purpose down to 2 words. Mine is igniting joy, which speaks to how I see myself as a life coach, blogger and human being. I think that can also be my motto, but I’m looking forward to playing around with words and determining what feels right. Maybe something like “Ignite joy, inspire growth.”Nea | Self Improvement Saga recently posted … Focusing On Your Passion – The Road to Success

Thanks Nea! It was fun to write, especially looking up the corporate, national and other mottos. Some interesting stuff out there guiding companies and nations and other organizations down some very different paths.

I really like the two-word activity you have your clients participate in. What a brilliant thing to have them do. Even going through the process seems like it would be immensely helpful.

“Ignite joy, inspire growth.” I really like it, Nea! I especially like the visual of igniting joy, of the fuse crackling and sizzling as it burns shorter and shorter until joy explodes onto the world around you!

My motto is (and has been for years….) “Get up. Dust off. Move on.” It reminds me that being a victim is not an option and that all experiences are only opportunities to learn something about myself and others.

This is a great motto, Kate! “Get up. Dust off. Move on” should be memorized by everyone by age 10 and practiced for the rest of their lives. Thank you so much for sharing it here! The effect seems similar to my “Life is what you make of it” motto. Once such a concept is internalized, victimhood goes out the window forever!

Nice, David! I’ve heard the first part many times. But I love the additional admonition to “think well.” It’s so true that we are the product of what and how we think. The better we learn to think, the better the product!

For Zen Mama: Let go, Get Closer
For my life: If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
For my family: Love is all that matters.Betsy at Zen Mama recently posted … Albert Einstein: Not Just A Scientist!

I really like each of your mottos! I also like that you have one for different parts of your life. That your family motto is “Love is all that matters” makes me think you have a very lucky family.

I’ve always disliked the loose way the word “truth” is sometimes talked about when people refer to different people’s truths. You hear them talk of your truth and my truth and other people’s truths, all being equally true. And on some level it still sits awkwardly with me. But I have come to some peace with the phrase as I have come to realize that no matter what The Truth is about a thing, our perception of it, no matter how incomplete, inaccurate or down right wrong it may be, is still the only reality we know. It then shapes our thoughts and behavior around that subject. So your personal motto, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change,” really struck home with me.

Hello Ken,
This is fascinating!
I guess the essence of all our mottos is the essence of who we are. These are the ones that sum me up:

‘Life is rather like a tin of sardines – we’re all of us looking for the key.’ Alan Bennett
‘If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it!’ Jonathon Winters
‘We must become the change we want to see.’ GhandiLinda Hewett recently posted … Who Else Hates Being A People Pleaser And Wants To Stop?

Hi Linda! I’d never heard the Bennett quote. Sardines, huh? Tell you what, I would be the first one scrambling to find that key! 🙂

I love the Winters quote. So many of us sit around and wait for the things life is “supposed” to deliver at our doorstep. And we just keep waiting (and blaming) when it doesn’t come as expected. But to get up off our butts and take action is the key to creating the life we want to live. And often a lot more than we had expected possible.

After reading this I was discussing this with my husband. We talked about what our family motto is. We came up with: “To each his own, with love.”

So many parents have ideas of who and what their children should be and become. This is simply a reflection of the parents and, sadly, has nothing to do with the children. We truly want each member of our family to be whoever and whatever they choose. As long as there is love, it really doesn’t matter. We simply want everyone to be happy.

Because of this motto, we live a rather different lifestyle that works very well for us. We get flack from family for it every once in a while but we know that their opinions don’t matter. It’s what makes us happy and that’s all that matters.Paige | simple mindfulness recently posted … Head vs. Heart: Which Is Smarter?

As a teacher, I see this a lot. So many parents impose their ideas of what success is and which college would most provide the family with a sense of honor. So much pressure is placed on kids to get accepted to a particular university, become a doctor or engineer, and make lots and lots of money. I’ve also seen so many of these kids stressed out of their minds and fearfully and secretly changing their majors to something they love doing instead of something their parents would love them to be.

You see it with that awful show about beauty pageant moms (a show I’ve admittedly never seen, but have seen the commercials for). Bragging rights or living through their kids or whatever personal demons motivate such behavior and treatment of their children is no excuse for imposing such expectations on them and subjecting them to the traumas of that kind of life.

With our daughter (and what we will do with our son as he grows up), we taught her those principles we believe are important. Then provided her with as many experiences as we could afford (travel, leadership, sports, music, dance, etc.) and let her gravitate to what she was most passionate about.

To me this means, something that is possible to do by one human being, means it is achievable by another.

I find this useful to remember, if I’m getting stuck on any particular aspect of life. Although at the time, the problem may seem unique to me, the truth is others have probably experienced and overcome the same issue many, many times.Hiten recently posted … Guest posting at Meant to be Happy

I like your motto. It’s so easy to look at what we wish for and excuse our non-action by claiming there’s no way it could ever be done. It’s like the 4-minute mile. It was considered humanly impossible … until it was done. Now its standard. Once we believe something is possible, we work to make it happen. The mental barriers come down and impossibilities become very possible. Our thinking can then change to the realization that if one person can do it, two people can. And if two, why not me?

My motto for my website Han of Harmony is “Making the best choices in any situation.” This is my aim when it comes to helping anyone who seeks my help with any challenge they face in life. This is the essence of what I do and how I have chosen to make a difference in this world.

My personal motto is “Heaven may ordain, but men must achieve.” It reminds me of what I must always do to reach my goals. At the same time, I must not be blind to my timing and circumstances. If need be, I may have to plan way ahead and persevere to get to where I want to be.

That’s the key, Irving! It’s all about the daily choices we make. All those choices, sometimes seen as inconsequential, solidify into habit that gels into the circumstances we live in and react to. But we can be much more proactive in the choices we make to change our self-defeating habits of thought and the circumstances those habitual thought processes create and our reactions to them.

I really like you personal motto too! It reminds me of the old line (I think attributed to Abraham Lincoln) that “men should pray as if everything depended on God and act as if everything depended on men.”

Mottos can truly lead us forward and be a source of inspiration. I have always loved the Nike motto – Just Do It. That fits my life right now, as I’ve made the change to write and just see where it takes me.

One that I keep coming back to is “”It’s never too late to be who you might have been.” which is a quote by George Eliot. It speaks to me about how we can all change our lives for the better. Thanks for the great post.Cathy | Treatment Talk recently posted … My Journey Through Al-Anon

“Just Do It” really has taken on a life of its own. It’s such a powerful phrase. Imagine what would be accomplished if everyone chose a course in life and then just went for it!

I love the Eliot quote. You’re right. We can change at any time, no matter our age or how long we’ve gone without changing anything. That is such a comforting thought for those who now look back on a life they feel has been long wasted.

Great mottos, Cathy!

I’m rooting for you as you write your way to the life you plan on living!

Really great article, Ken. I particularly love that you said, “Let your motto become expressions of your character.” The idea of a personal motto is excellent. And then to actively work it is phenomenal. I’ll have to share this post on my Facebook. Thanks so much.

They are like these compact little explosions of verbal commitment wrapped in a easily delivered package to loved ones and others as bite sized sermonettes. I was just talking with my daughter today about them after she read my post this morning. She remembers clearly the circumstances when I used those mottos. She doesn’t recall all of them with fondness, but the lessons were delivered nonetheless. 🙂

You come to mind from time to time, Marianne. Just wanted to know. I hope you’re well.

Love the personal motto idea! Mine is “Joyful & Grateful.” In all that I do, I try to have an attitude of graditude. As I go through my daily routine, I find myself chanting this as I deal with challenges, annoying people, situations that I do not want to deal with, etc. I try to remind myself that obstacles are just stepping stones to get to the next stretch of my life journey.

Thank you for this post. I really enjoyed reading the mottos that you listed, as well as all the comments.
Amy

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About Me

My name is Ken Wert, the founder of M2bH. My purpose here is to teach you how to live a richer life of greater purpose and meaning, of mind-blowing possibility and deeper, more soul-satisfying happiness than you ever dreamt was possible. Join us on this happy adventure as you learn how to unlock your hidden potential to enjoy the rewards of a life well lived. Read more ...